General Lab Policies

Scientific Integrity for All Lab Members

You may not make up data or do anything else that could constitute data falsification (e.g. selectively excluding data points to achieve a desired result). If there’s something you’re not sure about, discuss it with me first. If I am not available for some reason, then err on the side of caution and do not do it. 

You may not copy and paste the work of others for publication. Nor may you copy and paste text or images generated by artificial intelligence (AI) software for publication. If you would like to use AI as a tool to clean up or enhance your own, original writing, please discuss it with me first.

Let me be clear: Data fabrication or falsification and plagiarism are grounds for immediate dismissal from this laboratory.


Lab Citizenship and Culture for All Lab Members

Please be kind and considerate toward your lab mates. Some ways to do this are:


Career Development for Trainees

I want to help you develop into the scientist that you want to be. This has two important implications. First, you need to develop goals and communicate them to me. It’s hard for me to help you if I do not know what you want, and you cannot tell me what you want if you do not know yourself. Second, I need to provide opportunities for you to grow in knowledge and expertise. Such opportunities may include but are not limited to writing articles, writing grants, presenting at conferences, participating in training courses, completing internships, and mentoring less experienced trainees. Please take advantage of these opportunities when I present them, then really own them. These things are essential for your development as a scientist. 

If you are a regular employee, the extent to which you pursue these kinds of opportunities is up to you. Just talk with me about it and we'll figure it out. 


Lab Notebook and Data Backup for All Members

Your physical notebook should consist of a three-ring binder with plastic sheet protectors into which you will insert your used standard operating procedures (SOPs) and other important documentation that would be necessary for others to reproduce your work in the future. 

When beginning an experiment, print off the SOP and other needed documents (e.g. animal tracking sheets), write the date and your initials on them, fill them out as appropriate as you progress through the experiment (e.g. checking off steps in the SOP as you go, making notes in the margins of the SOP, completing information in animal tracking sheets, etc.), and then insert the completed documents into the sheet protectors in your notebook in chronological order. 

All data (e.g. Excel spreadsheets, blot images, microscopy images, etc.) should be uploaded to the appropriate lab data storage and sharing website with filenames that make them traceable to your lab notebook (e.g. your surname and date; something like "McGill_Adducts_8-10-2024"). 

Note that your lab notebook ultimately belongs to the lab and to the university. It must stay here when you graduate or otherwise leave.


Work Schedules and Vacation for Trainees

You are an adult and you are primarily responsible for completing your experiments and other work in a timely manner. I have no interest in monitoring your comings and goings – that would be too much extra work for me! That said, you are training for a career in the “real world," and most people in the “real world” maintain a roughly 9 AM to 5 PM work schedule so that is what I expect of you. Some minor variation (7 AM-4 PM, 10 AM-6 PM) is perfectly fine if that better suits your preferences, needs, or obligations outside of work (e.g. child pickup and drop off, doctor appointments, spouse/partner work schedule, sports or hobbies). If it becomes apparent, however, that you are not getting your work done, then steps may be taken toward remediation. For example, I may require you to check in with me every morning by 10 AM.

Of course, the above hours only apply Monday through Friday. I have no expectation that you will work on weekends or holidays, except in rare cases when an experiment requires it. In such cases, you may choose to take time off during the M-F work week to make up for it. In fact, I insist that you take weekends and holidays off to rest, pursue hobbies, spend time with family and friends, etc. We all have to find a balance and occasionally take time to recharge.

By the way, we all have dentist appointments, family events, and other obligations outside of work that can intrude into work hours. I also understand that you may occasionally need a half-day or full day to prepare for an exam. All of this is OK! In fact, it’s great! But if you plan to be gone for a full day or more, then please communicate that to me (email, text, whatever) so I know what is going on. If you disappear for a day or two or three (this has happened before…) and I cannot get in touch with you, I will worry and may even contact the police to request a welfare check.

Regarding vacations: We all need time off. In general, I'm OK with around 15-20 days of vacation (about 3-4 work weeks) per year. But let me know when you want to take time off at least a few weeks in advance so I know what is going on and we can plan experiments and other tasks around it. Of course, UAMS or Graduate School policy may supersede this, so be sure you're following their rules too.

If you are a regular employee, you should follow UAMS requirements per schedule and vacation time.


Need Help?

When you are stuck on a technical or experimental problem, search for solutions online first. Google and PubMed are your friends. If you cannot figure out a solution on your own, then consult with a lab mate or with me. I am always happy to help, especially after you have made a good faith effort to figure it out yourself. 


Policy Changes

I reserve the right to change these policies as I see fit, though it will probably be very rare.